Thanks to our sterling reputation for helping the neediest of dogs, German Shepherd Rescue got a call from a local District Attorney's office requesting our assistance.  It seems that two beautiful German Shepherds had been the victims of long-term neglect, and finally their inhumane owner was going to be brought to trial.  The DA asked us if we could find homes for these deserving young dogs and we immediately agreed to help.

Duke and Jane are both two years old.  They were picked up by animal control on August 6, 2002, emaciated and hairless.  Their owner was failing to provide the most basic of care for them.  And their bodies showed it.  According to the people who first observed the dogs, it was impossible to tell that they were German Shepherds when they arrived because they were completely bald with red, irritated skin.  Since August, Duke and Jane have been residing in a small cage at an animal hospital while they recover.  Jane's hair has come in and she is has returned to good health, but Duke's hair is still patchy.  Both dogs have gained much-needed weight and have very happy dispositions.  The former owner has relinquished any claim to them, so now they are ready to start anew.

Duke is probably the most neglected dog that we have ever seen.  At age 2, he is a skeleton of a dog with ribs protruding everywhere, eyes sunken in their sockets, and every single vertebra of his spine visible in horrific detail.

In addition to never being fed by his cruel owners, Duke was never provided with veterinary care, resulting in him losing every single bit of fur that he had when a painful yeast infection raged through and over his body.

Because he was intentionally starved, Duke's pancreas has stopped working properly and he requires enzymes on his food in order to properly digest it.  He has a bad ear infection that has been ongoing for months.  Most troubling of all, Duke is injured clear down to his soul, but he is slowly learning that not all humans are unkind.  Very slowly, we are seeing a bit of light come back into his eyes, but we know that he will require months and months of rehabilitation before he can find his home.

The monster that did this to Duke is being prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, and we look forward to attending the trial to speak on behalf of Duke.  However, in the meantime, his care has drained our meager coffers and we are turning to our fellow animal lovers for help. 

Please -- these photos say it all.  If you can give a gift of any amount to help us save Duke, please click here to learn more about making a donation.  Be sure to specify that your donation is to go towards Duke's care.  No gift is too small, no kind gesture unappreciated.  We survive only on donations, but with your help, we will restore this stoic dog's spirit and body.

January 27, 2003:

Duke has gained five pounds and has been moved from the vet's office into foster care with a very devoted animal lover.  He has a ravenous appetite, which we consider a good sign.  He had a horrific ear infection that we are treating aggressively, and we will be continuing to monitor his white cell count to see if the infection is subsiding.  He is getting a little bit of "baby fuzz" on his naked skin, but most of the time he wears a little foal blanket to keep him protected.  He has moments of playfulness and has even wagged his tail!  We will try to post weekly reports to keep everyone apprised of his condition.

February 14, 2003:

Duke is continuing to blossom each day.  He has learned that it is really cozy to sit on the couch with his foster mom, at least for a few minutes before hopping off to investigate some fascinating thing.

Duke with his foster family

Everything is new to Duke, so it's encouraging to see him learning and growing.  He is slowly learning to trust both people and other dogs... the dogs part is coming a little slower.  He has gained a total of 15 pounds since he was rescued from his abuser, and his "fluff" is coming in nicely.  Here is a picture of Duke today -- What an improvement!  The sores that had broken out on his skin are healing up -- we suspect that he has some severe allergies and are trying to identify what brings them on.

Duke would like to extend his thanks to everyone who is pulling for him.  We are convinced that the kind wishes and thoughts of many devoted animal lovers are contributing to his recovery!

Duke has gained a total of 22 pounds!  He went to his first adoption event this weekend and did very well.  He was very affectionate with the volunteers and the people who came to meet him.  Duke's skin is almost completely covered with fluffy "down" now, so he looks and feels much better.  He is still plagued by some sort of allergy that we are trying to identify -- we think it's something in the environment since his diet is very specialized.

We think that Duke is ready to start looking for his forever home with a person that will help him to forget the pain of his past and give him a wonderful life.  He is a young dog -- approximately 2-3 years old -- so he has many years of loyalty and love to give to someone very special.  Duke's ideal home will be with someone who is patient and kind -- someone who is experienced with shepherds would be ideal.  He will need continued positive reinforcement and basic obedience training to help him become the wonderful dog that he was always meant to be.  We are hoping that Duke will find a home with another dog his own size that can "show him the ropes" and become his pal.

March 11, 2003:

Duke continues to make tremendous strides week after week.  A major breakthrough occurred when he finally decided to trust the dogs in his foster home.  It was a heartwarming sight to FINALLY see Duke playing with other dogs in a non-aggressive, non-defensive way!  Thanks to the example his buddy dogs are setting, he is learning to be playful and affectionate.  He still has a rather short attention span, but that is to be expected considering the lack of attention that he received prior to coming to us.

Duke's weight is stable and his "fuzz" is starting to become real hair.  People that hadn't seen him for a couple of weeks were amazed at the improvement in his physical condition!  He has been weaned off any medications, but still requires a special diet to prevent allergies and keep his body weight up.

We are convinced that the next steps of Duke's rehabilitation should take place in his forever home.  We think he is ready to find a place to call his own.  His ideal situation will be with someone who truly understands the nature of the German Shepherd Dog, and someone who can be extremely patient and consistent with him as he learns that the world is a beautiful place.

DUKE WILL BE AVAILABLE TO MEET PEOPLE ON 3/22/03 at the Petsmart in Encinitas (North San Diego County) for his big debut!  Please come by and visit with him and give him a hug!  He has come a very long way and we think he's ready to show himself off!

The entire team at German Shepherd Rescue has been heartened by the outpouring of well wishes, kind thoughts and monetary gifts for Duke.  As devastating as it was to know that some human treated this sweet creature so cruelly, we have also been able to see the very BEST in people thanks to the following that Duke has gained.  Thank you to everyone, young and old, large and small, for helping us to ensure that Duke pulled through. 

April 8, 2003:

Duke attended the America's Family Pet Expo this past weekend and was a celebrity!  Everyone that came by the German Shepherd Rescue booth gave him a scratch on the head and hug.  Duke was well behaved despite the high activity level.  He laid regally and quietly on his doggie bed and watched people and dogs of all sizes and shapes go by.  No one could believe that he was the same dog as in the photos!  He has filled out nicely and bears no physical scars of his abuse.  There are no longer any bald spots on his skin and he doesn't get upset in new situations.

However, it would be inaccurate to say that Duke is fully "recovered".  While his outer wounds have healed, his inner wounds will linger for some time.  He is affectionate and quiet, but has a short attention span and tends to take longer to learn simple corrections than most dogs would.  We are hoping that with continued vitamins and supplements his mental skills will become a bit sharper.  Nevertheless, Duke is a wonderful and loving boy who responds well to praise.  He has learned to play with his canine roommates (who have been extremely tolerant of him during his recovery!) and continues to bring smiles to our faces each time he makes a new discovery.

Duke is extremely grateful for all the warm support and kind wishes that he has received and continues to receive.  We hope that he will be able to attend another adoption event very soon, but in the meantime, he is accepting offers for a quiet and loving forever family that will nurture and cherish him.

May 1, 2003:

BAD NEWS!  The pre-trial date of April 24 that we were all anxiously awaiting has been postponed until May 6!!!  We will keep you informed as we learn more about the case against Duke's abuser!

May 15, 2003:

The day that we have all been waiting for has arrived!  Our beautiful Duke has gone to live with his forever family!  Duke has a sister dog to keep him company, a devoted and experienced daddy (coincidentally named "Duke" also -- so Duke the dog is named after his daddy!), and a mommy who is a people doctor and understands that emotional healing is as important as physical healing for Duke.

All of us who have been invested in Duke's recovery are SO excited that he is finally going to be a treasured member of a loving family who will never allow him to suffer again!  A huge "thank you" to everyone who has sent in gifts, donations, well wishes, cards and prayers to help Duke along the way to this momentous day!  Also, thanks to each person who wrote to the District Attorney to demand a stiff penalty for Duke's abuser (trial outcome is still pending) including an entire class of students who turned Duke's plight into a class project in humane education!  Last but not least, very special heartfelt thanks go to Duke's foster mommy, Diana, without whom this celebration never would have occurred.  At great personal sacrifice, Diana helped Duke turn the corner at each critical point in his recovery -- she is truly the guardian angel who supported and nurtured him through the toughest moments and molded him into the wonderful, loving companion that he was always meant to be.  Diana -- we will never forget all that you have done for this precious soul!

YOUR SUPPORT OF GERMAN SHEPHERD RESCUE MAKES THESE HAPPY ENDINGS POSSIBLE!  WE CAN NOT DO IT WITHOUT WONDERFUL, COMPASSIONATE DONORS LIKE YOU!

"Thanks, everybody!" 

June 16, 2003: